'Societal failure:' Milwaukee Urban League discusses impact of COVID-19 on African American community

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- You've heard reports that coronavirus is hitting Milwaukee's African American community harder than others.

That subject got a lot of attention Wednesday on the Milwaukee Urban League's virtual roundtable.

Several leaders participated, including Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes. 

Doctor Tito Izard talked about what he called the incorrect assumption that minority communities are getting more coronavirus cases because they're not taking the proper steps to block the virus. 

He referred to it as more of a "societal failure," and he had some specific suggestions about ways to help.

"There's no reason why there shouldn't be conversations with Wisconsin companies to increase production of -- instead of producing beer -- to make hand sanitizers and to distribute that literally right in the communities who are being impacted and affected," Dr. Izard said.

The doctor says no one is at fault for the pandemic, and no one group should be blamed.